More than 2,000 rowers from across the UK will take to the water in 506 boats this weekend when the Fuller’s Head of the River Fours is held on a Sunday for the first time.

The event, being held for the 56th time, is held as a time trial over the 4.25-mile championship course from Mortlake to Putney - the reverse of the Boat Race course - and gets under way at 9.30am.

Event president Bill Mitchell said: “Because of the large number of crews we have to get afloat and the early tide times this year, the 14th is the only day we can run the race safely.

“We hope to have all crews started before 11am and have reminded the crews and officials that it will be Remembrance Sunday, and they should act accordingly.”

Coming just a week after the end of the Rowing World Championships in New Zealand, there will be fewer international rowers taking part although most members of the GB U23 and junior squads are entered.

Cambridge and Oxford university boats are also entered in the time-trial style event with organisers desperate to avoid a repeat of last year when poor weather conditions caused the race to be cancelled at the last minute.

There are prizes for 21 different boat classes, including 10 for women.

The number of boats being entered by local clubs are: 12 Vesta Rowing Club (Putney), 11 London Rowing Club (Putney), 10 Tideway Scullers School (Chiswick), Thames Rowing Club (Putney), 9 Imperial College Boat Club (Putney), Lea Rowing Club (Lea Valley), Molesey Boat Club, University of London Boat Club (Chiswick), 6 Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Boat Club (Chiswick), St Paul’s School (Castlenau). 5 Curlew (Greenwich), Thames Tradesmen Rowing Club (Chiswick). 4 Cygnet Rowing Club (Chiswick), HSBC Rowing Club (Putney), Kingston Rowing Club, Sons of the Thames (Hammersmith), Staines Boat Club. 3 Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing Club (Chiswick), Furnivall Scullers (Hammersmith), Lady Eleanor Holles School (Hampton), Putney Town Rowing Club (Kew). 2 Hampton School, Latymer Upper School (Hammersmith), Poplar Blackwall & District Rowing Club (Greenwich), Quintin Boat Club (Chiswick). 1 Globe (Greenwich), Kingston Grammar School, Twickenham Rowing Club.

Event website: hors4.org.uk